The Story of Us
by Upsgirl88
Summary: Daryl, Carol and Sam are a family, living together in Alexandria. They didn't start out that way. And it wasn't an easy road. The Story of Us explores how a young boy who lost his entire family was able to bring together two damaged people and help them heal. This is the story of how Carol and Daryl fell in love with each other and how Sam became their son.
1. Chapter 1

"Where's Sam?" Daryl asked, opening the fridge and putting several bottles of water in his backpack.

"Upstairs in his room," Carol replied, looking up from the book she was reading at the kitchen table. "He knows you're leaving in the morning. You know how he gets.."

Daryl sighed. Yeah, he knew exactly how Sam felt, because he felt the same way himself. But he had a job to do and it couldn't be helped. "I'll go talk to him," He said, setting down the bag he was packing and placing a kiss on Carol's cheek.

"Tell him we're both gonna be late for school if he doesn't get down here," Carol called after him.

Daryl jogged up the steps, taking them two at a time. Carol's job had changed from what it was when they first arrived. She was now helping to teach the kids who lived in the community. It hadn't been an easy switch. In fact, nothing about the past year had been easy at all. It was filled with heartache, sadness and despair. But there was one good thing that emerged from the rubble and he was currently sitting on his bed throwing a tennis ball against the wall. "Hey Kiddo," Daryl said gently.

"I don't want you to go," were the first words out of his mouth. "You just got back. Why do you have to go again?"

Truth was, Daryl had been back for a week and a half, but it certainly didn't feel that long at all. Daryl took a seat on the bed beside the boy and reached out to catch the tennis ball as it flew back towards them. He gave Sam a smile and threw it again for him to catch. "You know I have to go Bud, it's my job," Daryl said, as they continued to alternate catching and throwing the ball.

"Then take me with you," Sam said, stopping the game and looking at him. His young eyes were pleading so hard, begging Daryl to listen, to agree. "I've been on the bike with you before and ma… uh, I mean Carol, she taught me how to shoot, how to kill walkers with my knife…" Sam looked so excited, it was going to kill Daryl to say no. He caught Sam's slip, calling Carol 'ma.' She wasn't ready for that yet, even if she was 100% the definition of the word to Sam. She would get there, Daryl knew she would. She'd come so far. They all had.

"You know I can't…" Daryl started, his heart aching at the instant sadness in Sam's eyes. Suddenly he had an idea. "Listen, Carol sent me up here to get your butt in gear for school… but… I have a better idea." Daryl reached out and ruffled his hair affectionately, "How about you and me spend the day together? I'll take you out huntin'. Show ya how to track. And I'll get Carol to bake a huge batch of cookies and when we get back we'll eat them all."

Sam narrowed his eyes, "Do I get to shoot the crossbow?"

Daryl chuckled. "Sure Kid. I'll bring a rifle."

By the time they walked into the kitchen Sam had a huge smile on his face and was talking excitedly about the huge Deer he was going to kill. "How are you planning on killing a deer from class?" Carol asked, eying them both suspiciously.

"I'm not going to class today," Sam said, beaming at Carol. "Daryl is taking me hunting."

"Oh he is, huh?" Carol replied, crossing her arms and giving them a stare.

"Please?" Sam said, realizing he wasn't going anywhere without her approval.

"Please," Daryl echoed, giving her his best puppy eyes.

A smile spread slowly across her face. "Fine, but I'm bringing your homework and you're doing it before bed," Carol warned, trying to sound stern, though Daryl saw right through her.

"Thank you," Sam said, flying at Carol and wrapping her in a tight hug. Daryl could see how much the kid meant to her by the way she looked at him and stroked his hair, pulling him against her almost protectively.

"Have fun," Carol added, kissing Sam on the top of the head.

"Go," Daryl shooed him. "Meet me at the bike. Get the cover off, 'kay?" With a nod Sam took off out the door. "Thank you," he said, stepping closer and pulling Carol into his arms. He kissed her softly on the lips. It started innocent, but like it always did the kiss ended up deep and passionate, leaving them breathless when he finally pulled away.

"Be careful out there," Carol said, looking into his eyes.

"You know I always am," Daryl replied, tucking a cute little curl behind her ear. Carol's hair was still fairly short, but as it grew longer there were little wispy curls popping up everywhere. She was so beautiful. She always had been. And she always would be. "I love you, you know that right?"

"I know that," Carol replied, with a perfect smile. "I've know it way longer than you have," she added, giving him a quick peck. "Go," she said releasing him. "Sam's gonna be trying to start up your bike if you make him wait any longer."

Daryl started for the door, "Oh, I forgot. I promised him cookies."

"Hmph," Carol huffed as if she was annoyed, though the look on her face told a different story. "Hey Daryl," she called out, just as he opened the door. "I love you too." He never got tired of hearing her say those words. They stayed with him every time he left on a run and gave him something to come home to. It was so different leaving when you had a reason to come back.

"I thought you would never get here," Sam said, as Daryl walked into the garage that held his bike. He'd stopped on the way and signed out a rifle and some ammo.

"Looks like you got everything ready," Daryl replied, taking his crossbow off his shoulder and placing it on the holder he'd rigged up for it on the back of the bike. He kept the rifle strapped across his body and slipped a leg over the seat. "Helmet?" he said, looking back at Sam.

"How come I have to wear one but you don't?" he whined.

"Oh fine," Daryl grumbled reaching for the helmet he seldom wore. "There, happy?" he asked, strapping it on.

"Yep," Sam grinned, scrambling onto the back. Daryl still couldn't believe how comforting it was to have the kids arms holding him tightly. He could feel how much Sam trusted and admired him and it felt really good. "Faster," he yelled once they were outside the gates.

Daryl kicked it up another gear, but still drove a safe speed. He was always careful when he took Sam out. They drove about 5 miles out to the spot Daryl liked to park when he went on a hunt. He killed the engine and climbed off, giving Sam a hand as well. "You sure you can even lift this thing?" Daryl teased, handing Sam the crossbow.

"You know I can," he said, taking it and slinging it over his shoulder, just like Daryl did himself. It was amusing to see the way the kid imitated him. But it was also very flattering and made Daryl feel a pride he'd never known before.

They headed out into the woods with Sam hot on his heels. "Do you ever shut up?" Daryl asked 20 minutes later after Sam had talked constantly.

"I don't like it quiet," he replied.

Daryl laughed. He couldn't help it. "Your chances of getting a deer are pretty damn slim then."

"Well I guess I can try, for a while," Sam replied. A while turned out to be approximately 2 minutes before Sam started asking about various plants and berries, which led to other food and ended up at how he couldn't wait to get home and eat cookies.

"Maybe we should just try a little target practice," Daryl suggested, realizing that hunting was not going to happen. He'd taken Sam out a few times to shoot the crossbow, leaving the gun and knife training to Carol. "Hit that tree, right there, with the V."

He watched proudly as Sam loaded a bolt, took aim and hit the exact tree Daryl had pointed at. "Nice," he exclaimed. "I'm gonna have to start making this harder for you." Daryl had no doubt the kid could drop a deer, probably even a rabbit and maybe even something as small as a squirrel, if only he could stay quiet long enough to let one approach.

Something caught Daryl's eye and he held up a finger to his lip and gestured to his left. There was a rabbit and he was within range. Sam's eyes were huge and Daryl nodded at him. He watched Sam raise the crossbow and aim. He could see his hands shaking as he reached for the tigger. Daryl thought back to his first kill and knew he'd been exactly the same. Sam squeezed and Daryl watched the bolt fly right through the middle of the bunny.

"Oh my God," Sam squealed, almost dropping the weapon in his excitement. "I hit it… Daryl, look, I hit it." Daryl's heart swelled with pride, like he'd never felt before. This wasn't just any kid - Sam was his kid. Somehow the fucked up world had brought him this amazing gift and Daryl was so thankful. It hadn't started out that way, but now… Daryl believed it was meant to be.

They never saw another thing all day, but it didn't matter. Sam was riding high from his first kill and he was on cloud nine. If Daryl thought the talking was bad before, it only got worse with Sam so excited. But it wasn't annoying at all. Daryl enjoyed it - more than he would ever admit.

"Okay, time to head back in," Daryl said, as the sun started to set.

"Can't wait to show Carol my rabbit," Sam gushed on the way back to the bike. "Do you think she'll cook it tonight? Make a stew or a casserole or…"

"Deep breath kiddo," Daryl chuckled. "We're gonna go eat cookies and then you're gonna do your homework while I clean this thing."

"I wanna do it," Sam insisted. "It's mine. I should clean it. Will you show me?"

"Hell yeah," Daryl replied, feeling that sense of pride swell in his chest once again.

The rest of the evening flew by. They ate cookies until their stomachs ached. Cleaned the rabbit. Sam did his homework, only protesting slightly. And Carol cooked a stew they would warm up in the morning with the rabbit meat.

Daryl went to say goodnight and tuck Sam in, promising to wake him in the morning before he left. "Daryl, will you read to me tonight?" he asked as Carol came to say her goodnights.

"Uh, don't you want Carol to do it?" he asked. It had been their thing every night.

"Can you? Just this once?" Sam replied.

Carol came over and kissed the boy on the forehead and handed Daryl the book she was holding. "Chapter 7," she announced, giving him an amused smile.

She had already read him Tom Sawyer and Daryl opened to chapter 7 of Huckleberry Finn. He knew he wasn't getting out of it. Carol trailed her fingers through his hair lovingly on her way by. "Don't worry," she whispered. "He'll be asleep in a couple pages."

Carol was right, he wasn't even halfway through the second page and Sam was out. Daryl closed the book and stood. He looked down at the little man, sleeping so peacefully and followed Carol's lead, placing a kiss on Sam's forehead. "Sweet dreams," Daryl said softly.

Carol was waiting for him when Daryl entered their bedroom. He knew she would be. With him coming and going all the time they took every opportunity they could to be intimate. She was lying naked in the middle of the bed and Daryl stripped off his own clothes, dropping them on the floor as he walked towards her.

They didn't speak. They let their bodies say everything they needed each other to hear. By that point they had become very familiar and Daryl did everything he knew she liked. He started with his head between her legs, licking her folds and driving her over the edge with his tongue. He would gladly go down on her every time if she let him, but Carol preferred it to be something he did on 'special occasions.' She said it made it more exciting that way. After she came Carol surprised him. She dropped to her knees and took his dick in her mouth. It was then that Daryl realized what she meant about keeping it special. She didn't give him blow jobs all that often but when she did, holy fuck, it was incredible.

The way she was sucking on him, moving up and down his cock, taking a break every once in a while to swirl her tongue around the tip or lick his balls… it was magical. He finally had to stop her or risk emptying his load in the back of her throat, instead of buried deep inside her.

Daryl pulled her to her feet and eased her back onto the bed. He pushed into her smoothly, immediately overcome with euphoria feeling her wet, warm and tight on his cock. Carol was the one. He knew it the first time their lips met, so many months ago. But he suspected it long before that.

They slept tangled up in each other until the alarm sounded - a rude awakening as always. They both climbed out of bed and started to prepare for the day.

Daryl's life had completely changed in the course of a year. He was a different man. He was a happier man. He was a fulfilled man. But most of all… he truly felt like a _man_, for the first time in his life. And it was because of the woman and the boy who were standing at the gate, waving goodbye, like they did every time he left on a run.

With a wave back and a smile Daryl took off, Aaron was following behind in an SUV they had brought back on the last run. He had a long drive ahead of him and with the wind blowing in his face Daryl's mind started to wander. He thought about the year that had passed. How it had all started… and how his world began to change…


	2. Chapter 2

Daryl couldn't get used to the kids but he didn't know why. There were always kids. There were kids at the quarry. Carl and Sophia. The farm. Beth…Jimmy. The prison where Judith was born. And when the Woodbury folks joined them there were several more kids brought into the family. But they were all gone. All of them except Carl and Judith. Why was it that those two had managed to survive when they'd lost so many others? They were family and the group protected family. But Sophia was family. Beth was family. Lizzie and Mika were family. And they were all dead.

Daryl knew what happened to Sophia and Beth. It was a part of him and always would be. But he still didn't know what happened to Lizzie and Mika. He had the chance to find out when he was in Atlanta with Carol, searching for Beth. But he didn't take the opportunity because he could see it was too painful for Carol to talk about then. It was too fresh. He knew they were dead. And he knew it must have been awful. What more did he need to know until she was ready to tell him?

He saw the way Carol avoided the children. Perhaps her pain was part of why he was having trouble being around so many kids. Knowing how it affected her was hard for him because he cared deeply for Carol and wanted to make things easier for her. But perhaps it was also just a sense of normalcy that he wasn't used to or ready for. Whatever it was… he got a strange feeling every time he saw a group of kids playing, or heard their laughter.

Daryl hadn't met any of the new children. He honestly hadn't met very many of the new adults either. There were a few that went out of their way to make introductions, but Daryl hadn't really had any desire to leave the porch since they arrived in Alexandria. But he had spent some time with Aaron and his boyfriend Eric. Daryl could only imagine what Merle would have to say about him having dinner with two gay men. Merle never would have fit in with this group, Daryl thought, feeling a little wave of sadness thinking about his brother. It never truly went away.

He was cleaning his crossbow, getting it ready for the run he had coming up with Aaron, when a voice startled him. "Hey, whatcha doin?" Daryl turned and narrowed his eyes. One snarl and the kid would likely run away and leave him alone, but there was something about him that made Daryl stop.

"Just getting the walker guts off," Daryl grumbled, trying not to sound annoyed.

"That's the coolest weapon ever. Can I hold it?" He looked at Daryl eagerly.

"Where your folks at?" Daryl asked, ignoring the question.

The kid shrugged. "Dad's probably at the clinic. Or sitting in the living room. Mom…" He shrugged again. It seemed so strange that the boy didn't even know where his parents were. Outside the walls that would never happen. Everyone knew where everyone else was. Yet another thing Daryl was going to have to get used to.

"Hmph," Daryl replied.

"So, can I? Can I hold it?" he asked again. Daryl really didn't want the kid to touch his weapon. But it wasn't loaded. It wasn't going to hurt anything… With a sigh he handed it over and watched his eyes light up.

"What's your name?" Daryl asked.

"Sam," he said with a smile, lifting the bow and aiming it an imaginary target. "Will you teach me how to shoot this some time?"

"Uh, no," Daryl snorted. He couldn't help but like the kid, he had balls. "Don't think your parents'd be too happy 'bout that."

"We don't have to tell them," Sam said quickly, looking at Daryl with the most innocent, yet serious stare, he'd ever seen.

"You shouldn't keep things from your parents…" Daryl started, just as Carol walked onto the porch.

"Sometimes you should," she said, giving Sam a stare.

"Yes, Ma'am," Sam nodded, shoving the crossbow back into Daryl's hands and taking off.

"What was that about?" Daryl asked, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. "You know him?" He was positive Carol had been avoiding the kids, but she seemed familiar with Sam and he seemed… well… scared of her.

"Yeah… we've met," Carol said, watching Sam scramble off. She looked around and took a seat beside him. "He caught me stealing the guns the other night."

"Oh, fuck…" Daryl muttered. "How'd you keep him quiet?"

Carol shifted her eyes to him and then to the porch. "I threatened him."

"You what?" Daryl hissed.

"I had to," Carol said, looking at him again. "I had to. I had no choice. If he tells his mom or dad… We're screwed."

Daryl knew she was right. "But he's just a kid…"

"And he was sticking his nose where it shouldn't have been," Carol snapped. Daryl was surprised by her reaction. She didn't often snap at him like that. Carol was no nonsense, but she wasn't short tempered.

"You okay?" Daryl asked gently.

She sighed. "I'm fine. Just… Making sure we're safe here, ya know?" Daryl smiled slightly. It was pretty crazy how far Carol had come from the days when she needed protection to now, where she was the protection. None of them would even be alive without her and here she was, still doing everything she could to make sure they were all safe. "You leaving soon?" she asked, changing the conversation.

Daryl nodded. "Probably within the hour."

Carol leaned against his arm, "Stay safe. It's dangerous out there."

"You too," he replied. "Could be just as dangerous in here." Daryl was kidding. He was pretty confident that the place was legit. It didn't make it any easier to deal with such a vast change in lifestyle though. If anything, it made it harder. If he was more suspicious like Carol and Rick he could spend all day, every day, with his guard up, living on the edge, just like they had outside the walls. But Daryl didn't feel like he needed to live like that in Alexandria. And that's what he struggled with most.

Carol left shortly after that and Daryl finished up with the bow and headed to meet Aaron. "Bye Daryl," a voice called out. He turned to see Sam waving at him. Daryl tried to remember if he'd told Sam his name. He waved back and kept walking. He was looking forward to getting out on the bike he'd fixed up and getting on the other side of the walls for a few days.

Unfortunately the trip turned out a lot more eventful than expected, and they returned earlier than planned… With a new friend. A man saved him and Aaron from a huge group of walkers that had been released as part of a trap. It turned out he was an old friend of Rick's who had found the map Abraham left him back at the church and was heading to DC to try and find him. Daryl and Aaron returned immediately to Alexandria to reunite Rick and Morgan.

But what they returned to was even worse that what they'd dealt with on the outside. Everyone was gathered together… a meeting of some sort but something was going on. Something chaotic. Something bad. And the next thing Daryl knew Rick was pointing a gun at someone and it went off. "Rick," Morgan called out.

Daryl watched as Rick lifted his head and saw Morgan. But the second the men started to move towards each other he took off to find Carol and see what the hell was going on. Carol saw him coming and quickly met him halfway. "Come on," she said, knowing he would want to know everything that happened.

Carol led him back to their house and into the living room. They sat on the couch and she started to tell him the whole, long and detailed story. After she threatened Sam he returned one day, asking her to make him more cookies. He had asked her for one of the guns and she became suspicious that something was going on. She found out that Sam's dad Pete was abusing his wife Jessie and told Rick about it. Carol also told him about Rick and Pete fighting and Michonne knocking him out.

"I've seen how Rick looks at her," Daryl interrupted. "Ya really think it was a good idea to tell him?"

"Pete needed to die," Carol said simply. It was in that moment that Daryl realized that everything she'd gone through in her own marriage, with Ed, must have come flooding back.

"So you set up Rick to do it?" Daryl didn't mean to sound like such an ass, especially given the fact that she was likely dealing with a lot of emotional shit. But they were always honest with each other.

"I didn't set him up," Carol said, only slightly defensive. "I told him he was going to have to do it. But I didn't plan any of this. I threatened Pete," she added. "I went over there today and threatened him. I could have killed him. I actually thought about killing him. I should have killed him…"

"No," Daryl said, reaching for her shaking hand. She was a mess. He was certain, even though she was hiding it well.

"Yes," she said, turning to face him. "If I'd killed him earlier today Reg would still be alive."

"Reg? What? Deanna's husband? He's dead? What the fuck…" Daryl was shocked. Not only was Pete dead. So was Deanna's husband? What did he have to do with any of this?

"I don't think Pete meant to kill him," Carol said softly. "He was going after Rick for separating him and Jessie… Reg was just in the wrong place… But it doesn't matter," she said emphatically. "If I had of just trusted my gut and killed him earlier… Reg would still be here."

"Stop…" Daryl started.

"No. I can't. I do what needs to be done Daryl… and the one time I don't… look what happens…"

"Stop," Daryl said louder, in a tone that caught her attention. "If you killed him earlier you wouldn't be here now. They would have kicked you out."

"Don't you see?" Carol sighed. "This whole time… I've made myself into a sweet lady who bakes cookies and takes casseroles to the elderly. All I had to do was say that Pete came after me and I was defending myself."

Daryl was shocked by how much she had thought things through. "It doesn't matter now," he said. "It's over. He's dead. Reg is gone… and we can't bring him back. You didn't kill him, Pete did."

Before Carol could say another word they heard the door open and someone came in. They both stood to see who it was and found Rick standing in the hallway with Sam by his side. The second he spotted Carol he sprinted for her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Daryl was once again completely confused. When he left Carol was scaring the kid away and now she was holding him protectively while he clung to her.

"Jessie's a wreck," Rick started. "Carl is with Ron at their house and I'm gonna stay and keep an eye on her... But Sam... He needs someone... Can you?"

"We got this," Daryl replied quickly. He could see the toll the last few days had taken on Rick. "Go."

Once Rick was gone Sam drew back and looked up at Carol. There were tears in his eyes and his face was blotchy and tear stained. "He deserved to die. I'm not crying for him. I'm not," he insisted.

"Shh, I know. It's okay," Carol said, pulling him against her and letting him cry. Daryl knew all about crying for a man who deserved to die. So did Carol. It's the hardest thing to admit - shedding tears for a monster.

While Sam sobbed against her Carol met Daryl's eye and his heart ached. She couldn't do it alone. It was obvious. She needed his help to get through it. Daryl nodded and walked up to her. For the first time in their relationship, with a child crying between their bodies, it was him who placed a comforting kiss on her forehead.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well, he's asleep," Carol said with a sigh, sinking down onto the couch. Sam was exhausted but he refused to sleep without a bedtime story. The only thing she had on hand was the Tom Sawyer book she'd been reading to the kids back at the prison. Before she started their lessons on self defense she always took the time to read a few pages and just let them be kids. It was never that Carol wanted them to grow up too fast or abandon their innocence completely, it was simply that she wanted them to actually have the chance to grow up.

She was too distracted and shaky to make something up on the spot so Carol had dug out the paperback, buried the painful reminders it was trying to surface, and read him several pages. Before leaving him Carol had adjusted the blankets and gently stroked the hair back off his forehead. Her brain played a cruel trick and suddenly she was looking at Sophia. Carol had snatched her trembling hand away as if she been burned and closed her eyes. When she had opened them again it was Sam once more.

She had walked down the stairs slowly and carefully. She'd needed the time to compose herself before she faced Daryl and quite frankly, the way her legs had been shaking made descending stairs rather difficult.

"He in your room?" Daryl asked. Carol nodded, the image of his tiny body in her huge king bed popping back into her head. "You take mine tonight," he offered. "I'll sleep down here."

She wouldn't refuse the offer, knowing Daryl would simply insist. But she wasn't sure she would take it either. "I don't think I'm gonna be able to sleep tonight anyway, but thank you," she replied.

"Carol," he said gently, in a tone she hadn't heard since they talked in the women's shelter back in Atlanta. The way he spoke terrified her because she knew what was coming. "You ain't okay. Talk to me. Please?"

"I'm fine," she insisted, but the words sounded ridiculous with the tremble in her voice she couldn't hide. "Okay, I'm not fine," she admitted. "Not even close. But I can't..." she searched his eyes for understanding. "I can't talk about it. I don't want to talk about it." Carol had worked too hard to bury everything to let it all come flooding out now. Her relationship with Sam was already putting cracks in her foundation. But once Jessie was better she could make a clean break from the kid and she would survive.

"I want to be the one," Daryl replied.

"What?" Carol looked at him, trying to figure out what he meant.

"When you're ready to talk, let me be the one," Daryl replied, looking at her intently. "You've always helped me with my shit, I want to help you. When you're ready."

As much as she appreciated hearing his request it was almost offensive that he worried she would talk to someone else. It was always going to be him, if and when it happened. "How could you think it would be anyone but you?" Carol asked, she had to know.

Daryl shrugged. "Dunno," he mumbled. "You and Rick seem closer now... ya think more like him these days it seems..."

Carol couldn't help but laugh and how ridiculous it was for Daryl to think she would choose to talk to Rick over him. "Daryl, Rick couldn't even understand why I killed two people who were minutes, maybe hours, from dying anyway to try and save the others. You really think he's gonna understand me killing Lizzie?" The second the words were out of her mouth Carol gasped and panic gripped her like a vice. Daryl's eyes were wide with shock and they were both frozen in place, staring at one another.

Suddenly her body started to shake and no matter how hard she tried to fight the tears came. Weeks of effort, the daily struggle to keep her emotions tucked away finally burst. With one statement, that subconsciously slipped out, she was drowning. Carol felt herself start to crumble. Images flooded her brain... Sophia smiling... Sophia coming out of the barn... Lizzie laughing... Mika lighting up when they roasted pecans... Lizzie covered in blood... Mika's lifeless body... Judith innocently laying on the ground... Her own knife stabbing into the brain of a beautiful child... Her own gun firing a fatal shot into the back of another beautiful child's skull...

Carol couldn't catch her breath, everything was going black, someone's arms were around her, holding her, comforting her... It was Daryl's voice... He was soothing her. He wasn't angry. He was saying that everything was going to be fine. And his voice was the last thing she heard before it all faded away into darkness.

When Carol woke she was lying on the couch with a blanket over her. She had no idea how much time had passed. The shock and anxiety had caused her to shut down and pass out, but she must have slept for a while too. Her body felt fatigue like it was the middle of the night. Everything came rushing back as she became more alert. How could I be so damn stupid? she wondered. To let her secret slip like that was terrifying. At least it happened with Daryl, but it shouldn't have happened at all. Would he expect her to tell him everything now? Was she ready for that?

She was still mulling over her options when Daryl entered the room. "Hey, you're awake," he said, looking down at her. "I didn't want to leave you but the kid had a bad dream. I had to stay there a bit, til he fell asleep again."

"Thank you," Carol said, with a yawn. Despite the way her stomach was rolling with nerves and fear she actually felt like she could go back to sleep. Maybe it was just her body's defense mechanism, like the passing out. When Daryl made no attempt to push her to talk Carol decided she would tell him. Soon. But not right then. "I'm not ready," she whispered, looking up at him. "I know what I said might terrify you… and I will explain it soon. But not tonight. Not yet."

Daryl nodded. "'kay," he said softly. "I trust you," he added, barely a whisper. "Just tell me what you need."

What I need? she repeated in her head. Carol wasn't really sure what she needed at that point. She knew she didn't want to be alone. She knew his presence was comforting. And she also knew his touch was comforting. That's what she was missing. But was it too much to ask of him? Daryl was quick to offer the physical comfort earlier. Would he still be willing? Carol felt stupid for needing it. She'd learned how to fend for herself. She was strong. She didn't need a man anymore. But Daryl wasn't just a man. He was her rock, whether he knew it and believed it or not. So how did she ask without making it weird or awkward?

Carol wasn't one to beat around the bush anymore though, that woman was gone. So she came out and asked, "Would you sit with me? And hold me like you did before?"

"Mmm, hmm," Daryl nodded. "Give me 5 minutes, 'kay?"

Carol sat up and looked around the room while she waited for him. She was pretty sure it was just the three of them alone in the house. Carl was with Ron, Rick was with Jessie, Michonne was likely dealing with the aftermath of the deaths and Carol wasn't sure where Judith was, but knew she was with someone safe… Probably Maggie. Moments later Daryl returned with wet hair and different clothes. He showered. For her. Despite all the crappy feelings inside her Carol smiled. She lifted the blanket and made room for him to sit down. Daryl settled beside her and she caught a whiff of the soap he'd used. With a deep breath she leaned against his chest and tucked her head under his chin. It surprised her that it didn't feel strange at all. It felt almost natural to sit that way with Daryl, even though it wasn't something they'd done before that night.

Somehow she was able to slowly pack the emotions back up inside her, but Carol knew they weren't locked tightly anymore. It wouldn't take much to open the box. When she was ready, she would tell Daryl everything. But Carol knew she had to get through this thing with Sam first. She had to help Jessie get her shit together and take care of her kids. First thing in the morning she was going to see her. She was going to take Sam with her and remind Jessie that she needed to be strong, if not for herself, for her son - like she'd always done. Carol knew the woman had it in her to get through this. She would offer support and she would be kind, but she would also be firm. Sam and Ron were the ones that mattered most and she would make Jessie see that.

"Tell me about Morgan," Carol said, both out of curiosity and the need for a distraction.

"He saved us. Me and Aaron," Daryl said. She could feel the vibrations when he spoke. It was like a cat purring and it calmed her. "We got into a trap." Daryl told her how they had found trucks that they thought were full of food, but when they got the first one open it released all the others and dozens of walkers came after them.

"Someone set that deliberately," Carol said, sitting up to look at him. "Why would they do that? Were they protecting something? Or just trying to get people killed? Did you see anyone out there?"

"We were following one guy, but it wasn't him. Morgan ran into a couple of men though, they tried to kill him," Daryl explained. "We found walker parts and another one with the W carved in it…" Daryl's eyes widened. "Fuck… with everything else going on I didn't even make the connection. That walker you shot… right after we arrived… the W… It stands for Wolves. I think they're a group…" Carol felt an uneasiness in her stomach. But if she was looking for a distraction, she'd certainly found one. "We gotta tell Rick," Daryl added.

Carol nodded in agreement. "In the morning. I want to go talk to Jessie first thing and you can talk to Rick." She settled back against his chest. It was one thing after another. Would it ever end?

As if the universe was answering her several gunshots rang out. "What the fuck?" Daryl hissed. Carol scrambled off him and they both reached for their weapons. Daryl picked up his crossbow and started for the door as Carol pulled the gun out of the waistband of her pants. She heard several more gunshots. "Sam," he said, looking back at her. "You gotta stay."

"I can't," Carol said, desperately. She needed to be out there fighting if there was some sort of threat and they needed her help. More shots rang out and the need to get out there intensified. "Go," she said to Daryl. Just as he ran out the door Carol heard the patter of feet and saw Sam come flying down the stairs.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking terrified.

"I don't know," Carol admitted. "But there's something I need you to do." She wrestled with the guilt of what she was about to ask him. But she had to keep him safe and she had to get outside and help. More shots… she was running out of time. She grabbed him by the shoulders and looked into Sam's eyes. "You know how your mom made you hide in the closet from your dad?" she asked. He nodded, his eyes wild with fear. "I need you to do that one more time for me," Carol said, leading him back up the stairs and into her room. She pulled open the closet door. "I'm gonna keep you safe Sam," she promised. "Don't open the door to anyone, unless you know it's someone you can trust… Me, Daryl, Rick…" He nodded. The kid understood hiding from danger and for that Carol was thankful.

Instinctively she grabbed him and pulled him against her chest for a quick hug. "It's gonna be okay. I have to go help now," she said, holding him tight. Carol released him. "Okay, in you go," she gently pushed him inside. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't come out until I come back for you." Carol closed the door, sadly wishing there were bolts like he had at home.

The gunfire continued as Carol sprinted out of the house, gun drawn and ready to shoot. The scene from her porch was complete chaos… and with a quick deep breath Carol threw herself right into the madness.


	4. Chapter 4

By the time Daryl joined the mix it was a huge fucking mess. Their group knew exactly what they were doing. They all had guns and were going through the motions. But the rest… they were terrified. Well, the ones that actually made an appearance to help. Daryl figured that most were huddled in their homes, shaking and clinging to one another - hoping for the best.

We really need to get them all trained, Daryl thought, watching a woman… he was pretty sure her name was Francine, take a shot and miss completely. Luckily for her, Daryl's bolt went right through the man's chest before his bullet went through Francine's head. "Thank you," she muttered, taking off and continuing to fight. She was brave, Daryl noted, she definitely had potential. Daryl drew his knife and went to stab the head and retrieve his bolt. He hoped others were doing the same. The last thing they needed were walkers to contend with too. Just as he went to stab the knife in he noticed something. There was a W on the man's forehead. This was the same group that Morgan had run into. And it was the group responsible for the carvings and mutilated walkers they'd found.

These people were dangerous. But Daryl could tell, even in the chaos, that his group had the upper hand. The fight was far from over though. It was unfortunate that Sasha wasn't still in the tower or the attackers might have never even made it to the gate. Daryl suspected they knew Sasha was gone and timed their ambush accordingly. They had very likely planned for that. But what they didn't plan for was the skills of the new residents in Alexandria. Daryl took the gun off the mans body and strapped his crossbow on his back.

Daryl stood and turned to get back into the fight and found himself facing the barrel of a gun. "Hand over the weapon Asshole," a voice said. Daryl took a deep breath. What choice did he have? He reached out and passed over the gun. "Give me the rest Archer," the man sneered. Daryl took the crossbow off his body and held it out. "Now… you die." Daryl's heart was pounding. After everything they'd been through some dweeb was gonna take him out like this? It was bullshit. But it was happening. He heard the shot but didn't feel any pain. Then the man's head exploded and his body dropped to the ground to reveal Carol standing there in that God awful flowered cardigan.

Finally he could breathe again. "Thanks," he mumbled, diving quickly for the weapons while Carol covered them.

"I need something a little more high powered," Carol said, as they took off.

"How about that right there?" Daryl asked, taking aim at a man holding an assault rifle.

"That will do," Carol said, yanking the dead body onto its back and grabbing the rifle.

"Sam?" Daryl asked as they ran.

"He's safe," Carol replied, stopping and shooting at an unfamiliar woman. Daryl had worried at first that there were residents he hadn't met or wouldn't recognize. He was afraid he could kill one of their own in the mess. But Carol knew everyone. She wouldn't make that mistake and he was thankful she'd joined him… at just the right time.

"Rick," Daryl said, pointing to the left. Rick, Michonne, Glenn and Maggie were back to back, shooting in all directions. They sprinted to join them, widening the circle. "How many are there?" Daryl asked between shots.

"I'm guessing they started with 40," Rick replied, firing off a series of shots. "There aren't too many left. We're gonna have to split soon and sweep the place."

Suddenly a woman screaming caught their attention. "Ron… Ron… come back…."

"Fuck, it's Jessie," Rick hissed, breaking formation and taking off.

Daryl looked away for one second to take a shot and heard Carol cry out, "Oh God, no." He turned back and saw Jessie kneeling on the ground, cradling a body. Carol took off and he followed, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Jessie was an easy target. Rick was getting close but… a shot rang out… and it was too late. Daryl watched her body slump over and saw Carol stop dead in her tracks.

In a fit of rage Rick took care of the shooter, ripping his body to shreds with an overkill of shots. "Come on," Daryl said, tugging Carol. They moved closer and provided cover while Rick checked on Jessie. It wasn't until that moment that Daryl realized she'd been cradling the body of her older son Ron. Daryl felt sick. The kid was the same age as Carl.

Carol fired off a shot and dropped a man in the distance. Rick looked up, he was devastated and Daryl knew they were both dead. He drew his knife and approached. "I got it," he said, placing a hand on Rick's shoulder. His friend didn't protest. He simply stood and turned away. Daryl lined up his knife with Ron's head. But he had to close his eyes and he plunged the weapon into the kids skull. Pushing away all the horrible emotions that were stirring inside him he moved to Jessie next. She was face down and he stabbed through the back of her head.

The fight had all but died down at that point and Daryl realized that the man who killed Ron and Jessie might have been one of the last 2 attackers left. Another couple of minutes… if they had just stayed inside another couple of minutes… the might still be alive. Carol was hugging Rick, offering support and comfort. How had this all happened in one day? Pete was dead. Reg was dead. Jessie was dead. Ron was dead. Were there others? There were bodies all over the main street. Were any of them family? Friends? Daryl certainly wasn't looking forward to finding out.

"I think we got them all," Abraham said, running up to stop at Daryl's side. "Fuck is that…" he saw the bodies. "Mother Dick…" he muttered, his face dropping with sadness. No one, not even the toughest of them all, took it well seeing a dead child.

Daryl noticed that Rick had his game face back on already. "Did we lose any others?" He looked around at the familiar faces that had gathered. Carol, Abe, Rick, himself, Michonne, Maggie, Glenn, Sasha, Aaron, Eric, Spencer…

"Not sure, but Rosita is in the infirmary doing the best she can," Abe spoke up. "She could use a hand. I think Tara and Eugene are trying…" The only doctor the town had was dead, killed earlier that same evening.

"I'll go," Maggie said, taking off immediately.

"Abe, take Eric and start going house to house," Rick instructed. "Get anyone injured to Rosita and Maggie right away." He looked at Glenn, "you take Aaron and start checking the bodies. Make sure we aren't gonna have any turn." Rick shifted his gaze to Sasha, "You and Spencer… I want you both up in the tower. Take lots of ammo and make sure there aren't any more lurking outside the gates." People started taking off as they got their instructions.

Before Rick could speak again Carol jumped in. "Go make sure your kids are okay," she told Rick. "Michonne and Daryl can look after supervising." Michonne nodded in agreement. "I gotta go tell a kid that his entire family is dead," she added, her voice cracking with emotion. The three of them looked at her sadly and slowly Carol and Rick turned to head in opposite directions.

Daryl watched her walk away. The way her shoulders were slumped over… she looked so defeated. How was everything so completely fucked up? How could one poor child lose his Father, Mother and brother in the span of a few hours? All senseless and preventable deaths. "Go," Michonne said quietly. "I got this… but I'm not so sure she can handle what she's about to do alone." Even though Michonne didn't know the half of it, she could see how devastated Carol was.

"Thanks," Daryl replied, running to catch up with Carol.

"What are you doing?" she asked, when he joined her.

"I know what it's like to lose your ma tragically," Daryl replied. "I was 'bout the same age as Sam. Thought maybe I could help." He thought back to the prison when Lori died and the conversation he'd had with Carl. He liked to think that sharing his story with the kid had given him at least a little bit of comfort. Daryl didn't admit that she was the biggest reason he was there. He hoped she knew and appreciated it without him having to say.

Her response told him she did. Somehow Carol managed a smile, "Thank you."

When they entered the house Daryl followed Carol up to her room, expecting to find Sam tucked into the bed, but instead Carol headed for the closet and pulled open the door. "Sam, it's me and Daryl, you can come out." Daryl watched the little figure appear from out of the shadows.

"Is.. is it over now?" Sam asked, looking at them with saucer eyes. The boy was absolutely exhausted. Daryl wouldn't have been surprised if he'd fallen asleep in the closet, even though he was clearly terrified.

"Yeah, it's over," Carol said. Daryl saw her stiffen when Sam hugged her and he saw the pain on her face. This was going to be one of the hardest things she'd ever done and it was pretty damn clear at this point that Carol had done some very difficult things. "Sam, we need to talk," she said gently. "I have to tell you something."

"Is my dad alive?" he asked, looking up at her. It felt like a knife to Daryl's heart to hear those words. Sam sounded hopeful. Even though his dad was an absolute monster there was a little glimmer of hope in the child's eyes that he might still be alive.

"No, he's dead," Carol replied, absentmindedly stroking Sam's hair. She looked like she was searching for the right words. But what were the right words to tell a child his entire family was gone? When Daryl's mom died no one had to tell him. When he saw the house he knew. But Sam was about to be completely blindsided, without an inkling of what he was going to be told. "It's your mom...and… your brother," Carol said, letting the words come out slowly.

"Are they mad at me? Are they mad I didn't help fight?" Sam asked.

The pain on Carol's face mirrored exactly what Daryl felt in his heart. "No Sam, God no…" Carol whispered, hugging him again, this time without hesitation or any sign of being uncomfortable. This was about Sam. It wasn't about her. Daryl recognized the change in her and tried his best to follow suit. "Your mom and brother love you. They only thing they would want is for you to be safe. And you're here. You're safe…" her voice trailed off and Daryl knew she was close to tears. Daryl watched her suck in a breath and he placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her and offer support. "Sam… you mom and Ron… they were killed in the attack… they're… they're… they're both dead."

"What? What do you mean?" Sam asked, pulling back and looked confused.

"They were trying to help. Trying to keep people safe… and one of the bad guys got them…" Carol replied. The tears were rolling down her cheeks, but other than that Daryl thought she was doing an amazing job.

"No… no… You're lying," Sam said, backing away. "You're lying. Why are you lying to me?" he was yelling at Carol.

"Sam," Daryl spoke up. "I'm so sorry bud, but it's true. They're gone…"

"No," he screamed. "You're both lying. You're lying and I hate you." Sam bolted back into the closet and slammed the door behind him.

"Well fuck," Daryl muttered. Carol looked at him. There was so much pain in her eyes he almost had to look away.

"I can't do this…" she whispered. "I've tried so hard. I've fought so hard. And it doesn't matter." Her eyes were pooled with moisture. "It doesn't fucking matter," she hissed. Carol rarely cussed and it made an extra impact on him hearing those words come from her mouth.

"It does matter," Daryl insisted. "It's not over. You can't give up. It's not over," he repeated emphatically, grabbing her shoulders and making sure she was hearing him. Carol took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She exhaled slowly and opened them again.

"So now what?" she asked.

"Give me a few minutes," Daryl replied. He headed for the closet, opened the door and pulled it shut behind him. He stood until his eyes started to adjust and used his hunter instincts to figure out where Sam was.

"Go away," a voice said from the far corner.

Daryl took a seat on the other side. He was quiet for a few minutes, unsure of what to say, when all of a sudden the words just came to him. "You wanna know what I did when my mom died?" Sam didn't respond, but Daryl knew he was listening. "I was about your age…"

"Your mom died when you were a kid?" Sam asked. Relief washed over Daryl. He had the boys attention and he hoped by the time they exited the closet he would have his trust too.

"Yep. She was in my house when it burned down," Daryl replied. He didn't realize how badly it was going to affect him to talk about it. When he told Carl it was a quick, spur of the moment thing. It just came out and he was rather numb to the whole thing. But this time was different. It was stirring up emotions he didn't even realize were there.

"What did you do?" Sam asked. Daryl was pretty sure he moved a little closer.

"I took my bike and I threw it off a cliff. Watched it hit the rocks at the bottom…" Daryl could still picture the bike lying at the bottom of the ravine all twisted up. It felt so good to heave it over the edge but he regretted it instantly when he saw it destroyed.

"Why?" The kid was definitely the curious sort.

"My mom bought me the bike," Daryl said softly. "I was mad at her for dying. I thought I hated her. I thought she left me on purpose." He remembered how awful it had felt to see the bike and realize he just got rid of the last part of his mom he had left. He ran through the woods, down to the bottom and got the bike. It was a mess, but he spent weeks working on it until it was rideable again. Merle had helped a bit - when he was around.

"My dad used to beat me Sam," Daryl added after a long silence. "My mom was the only good thing I had left and then she was gone."

"Daryl…" Sam whispered. "I'm sorry." The innocence of the statement hit Daryl hard and he had to fight back tears. The kid was going through so much, yet he still had the compassion to feel bad for someone else.

Daryl swallowed at the lump in his throat until he was able to speak. "What do you say we get outta this closet?"

"Okay," Sam agreed. Daryl stood, opened the door and led them both out. Carol was sitting on the bed waiting. "I'm sorry I yelled at you ma'am," were the first words out of his mouth, when he saw her.

"Come sit," Carol said, patting the bed beside her. Sam walked over and hopped up on the bed. His face was a blotchy mess from crying. "Do you think you can try to sleep?" she asked gently.

"Maybe," he replied, rubbing his eyes. Carol pulled back the blankets and Sam scrambled under them. "What now?" he asked, looking back and forth from Daryl to Carol. "Where do I live? Who will look after me?"

Carol opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Daryl surprised himself by speaking for her. His words shocking him almost as much as they shocked her. "We will. Carol and me. You'll stay with us." Carol was staring at him like he had two heads but Sam looked satisfied with the answer. "Try to sleep, okay kid?" Daryl added.

Sam was exhausted and Daryl was pretty sure he was sleeping before they even made it out of the room. "What the hell was that?" she hissed when they were in the hallway.

"I don't know," Daryl sighed. "It just came out."

"Well I can't do it," she said, brushing past him. "You wanna play daddy to an orphan kid… you're on your own."

"Carol…wait…" he called out. But it was too late, she wasn't stopping. Daryl checked his temper just in time before slamming his fist into the wall. "Fuck," he muttered, clenching his jaw in frustration. With a sigh he stomped after her, hoping she was at least still in the house.


	5. Chapter 5

Daryl found her in the kitchen, piling things onto the counter. "Dammit," she hissed.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't have any chocolate," Carol sighed. "Will you go get me chocolate? Please?"

"You're gonna bake in the middle of the night? Why?" She was already pissed off and he didn't want to make her even more upset, but he really thought it would be best for them to both try and get some rest.

"Baking distracts me," Carol snapped. "And I need a distraction right now, okay?"

Daryl had a feeling that there was another reason she wanted to make cookies in the middle of the night and it had to do with the little man sleeping in her bed. "Where do I find the chocolate?"

"They lock the damn stuff up where the guns are," Carol replied, rolling her eyes. "After everything that's happened tonight… I really don't think anyone is gonna care if we take some."

Daryl nodded and headed out to get the chocolate. If anyone actually dared to give him a hard time all he had to do was explain who the cookies were for and they would shut the fuck up in an instant. Things outside had quieted down and Daryl suspected most people were exhausted and went to bed. Thankfully the armories were unlocked. No one had thought to lock things back up after the attack. He found the chocolate but Carol hadn't said how much she needed. There were 8 full bars and some smaller pieces. He took 4 bars and left.

"Holy shit," Carol gasped when he returned. "That's about 16 times more than I'm supposed to take at once." There was the hint of a smile on her lips.

"Whatever," Daryl shrugged. "Anyone says anything they can deal with me."

"Thank you," she replied. Her voice was a bit softer and much less edgier than it was before.

"So are we gonna talk while you bake?" Daryl said, pressing his luck.

"Do you understand the point of a distraction?" Carol said, giving him a look.

Generally he liked it when she got a little saucy. But he was tired, emotionally drained and worried about Sam. He wasn't in the mood for her attitude - justified or not. "I know you've been through some serious shit," Daryl started. He made his best attempt not to yell or snap at her. "But there's a kid upstairs who is devastated. Right now, it's about him. Not you. Not me. Him." He could see her clenching her jaw and was expecting an outburst, but she was silent. Daryl took a step closer. "I know you care about him…"

"Of course I do," Carol replied, her eyes flashing. "That's the problem."

Daryl took a deep breath. His heart was pounding and he was terrified of what he was about to request. He said he would wait until she was ready and he still would if he had to. But he had to ask her. He had to try because he was fairly certain it was what she needed. "Tell me what happened with Lizzie and Mika."

Carol froze and looked up at him slowly. "I… I ca…" she started. "I just… can't…"

"Okay," Daryl replied quickly. He wouldn't push her.

"Okay," Carol echoed. After a brief silence she started to talk and Daryl listened in a stunned silence. He thought she had decided not to tell him anything, but perhaps the fact that he let it go so easily changed her mind. "After I met up with Tyreese and the girls we found a pecan grove. There was a little house there. Had a gas stove that actually worked…" Her words came out slowly as she added ingredients to the mixing bowls. "We toasted pecans one night," Carol said, with a wistful smile. "It was nice. For a few minutes we were normal. I felt like a mom, teaching my girls how to cook…" her voice cracked and she stopped talking, rapidly mixing the batter. Daryl was pretty sure she was fighting back tears and he wondered if she was going to make it through the whole story.

But like she always did, Carol surprised him with her strength. And the story itself… left him weak in the knees and sick to his stomach. But so fucking proud of her for surviving such a horrible tragedy. And for being able to do what needed to be done. By the time she was finished telling him everything the cookies were in the oven and almost ready to take out.

"If I was there I'd have done it for you," Daryl said softly, pulling Carol into his arms for a hug because he knew she needed it badly. She melted against him and he held her silently. As hard at it was for him to put down Ron, who was already dead, Daryl knew he could have shot Lizzie. He could have done it because Carol had already lost too much. He couldn't bring her daughter back. He wouldn't have been able to save Mika either. But he could have spared Carol unimaginable pain.

Holding her in his arms like that reminded him of their reunion after she rescued them at Terminus. If Rick hadn't banished her… If Daryl hadn't been off looking for booze with Beth… Maybe they would have been together. Maybe things would have been different. Maybe things would have been easier for her.

"Don't do that," Carol whispered. He could feel her breath against his neck. "You weren't there. That's how things worked out. Can't change it now. So stop feeling guilty." How did she know him so well? And why the hell was he the one being consoled when she was the one who was hurting so badly. "Thank you," Carol added.

"For what?" Daryl wondered out loud.

"For asking me to tell you what happened," she replied, drawing back. "I didn't think I was ready. But it feels like such a weight off my shoulders to tell someone. To tell _you_." She was staring at him intently, with those startling blue eyes and Daryl's heart started to hammer in his chest. Before either of them could speak the oven timer went off. She turned away and took the cookies out of the oven to cool.

He watched her fiddle with the cookie sheet, her back to him. Daryl was pretty sure she was stalling, or trying to figure out what to say. Or maybe she was waiting for him to say something. Just as he went to speak she turned around so Daryl closed his mouth and waited.

"Daryl," she spoke, breaking the silence. "You know I don't do anything half assed. If we're gonna do this… it's gonna be you and me. Not just me. Not just you. It's gotta be us." It took him a minute to follow her train of thought as she switched gears back to Sam.

"Can't do it without you," he admitted. "And if I say I'm in… I'm in. So… I'm in."

"Okay. So we're good," she said. "We're doing this."

"Yep, we're doing this," Daryl echoed. It was official. They would be Sam's guardians. It was too soon to think about being parents. And the idea of being a dad was too much for him to comprehend at that point anyway. Guardian was a better term. That way he didn't have to think about his own shitty father and worry he'd be anything like him.

After everything they had been through that day somehow Daryl found himself smiling - just a little half grin that he couldn't hold back. He didn't want to offend her after the horrible story she'd just told him so he tried to hide it and he did, until… she smiled back at him.

Perhaps it was the way Carol was looking at him. Perhaps it was a need to end such a horrible day with something good. Perhaps it was because it was something he'd thought about doing for a long time. Or maybe it was a combination of all three. Whatever it was that compelled him… it didn't matter, it just seemed right. He inched closer, absolutely terrified, even though his heart was urging him on. Carol's eyes changed from the initial intense stare, to a look of confusion and then finally an understanding. If they changed again, Daryl didn't know because just like his own they fluttered closed as their lips met.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd kissed a girl. It was bound to be a little awkward he decided, thinking it would make it easier if he just planned for the fumbling. To the best of his knowledge they were both out of practice, yet something magical happened when their lips touched. It felt familiar and easy. She reacted instinctively to his every move, parting her lips just before he slipped his tongue inside. The awkward he was fully expecting never appeared. He decided it was because of her. It was just another thing Carol was good at. So good she made him feel like he knew exactly what he was doing. Daryl slipped an arm around her body and drew her against him. It felt good to have her so close again. It felt too good. It felt confusing good.

Perhaps even more baffling was the way Carol was reacting. Her arms were around him, hands splayed across his back and she was clinging to him, like she never wanted to let go. As the kiss became more intense she made a strange sound, it was… like… a whimper… And it did things to his body that were not so much unexpected given the length of time it had been since he'd been intimate with a woman, but shocking in their intensity given the trigger was merely a tiny sound.

All of a sudden there was a noise, coming from upstairs. Sam was crying and yelling, "no." Daryl pulled back quickly, the feel of her lips still lingering even after they parted.

"Guess we better go, huh?" Daryl said, feeling a bit bashful and strangely thankful for the distraction.

"Yep," Carol agreed, turning and heading for the stairs. Daryl trailed along after her wondering if he'd made things better or just completely complicated a simple arrangement between friends.


	6. Chapter 6

Carol was up before both Daryl and Sam. When she snuck past the living room moments earlier to make coffee in the kitchen Daryl was still fast asleep on the couch. She'd also peeked in on Sam in her room and he seemed like he was getting the most restful sleep he'd had all night. Daryl had insisted that she take his room after they got Sam back to sleep again. But the 3 other times the boy woke up Daryl was right up there, by her side, to go in and calm him down.

Carol stood in the archway between the kitchen and living room and looked at the man sleeping on the couch. His hair had fallen over his eyes and she was struck with a desire to brush it away but something caught her eye through the window. People were approaching the front porch. Carol quickly moved to the door to meet them to prevent them pushing the doorbell. It was Tobin and his wife Lisa. "Morning," Carol said politely as she stepped onto the porch and shut the door behind her.

"Morning," Lisa replied. The mood was clearly sombre after the events of the night before. A heaviness hung in the air and the whole town was filled with sadness. It made Carol want to run back in the house and shut the world out. It felt safer inside. She didn't have to deal with other people's emotions. Just her own and of course Daryl and Sam. That would be difficult enough, without all these other people. Too many people. "We, um… we heard Sam is here," Lisa started, looking at Carol and then to her husband for support. "Do you think we could see him?"

Carol instantly felt on guard, even though she knew that Tobin and Lisa were clearly concerned. "He's still sleeping. It was a rough night," she replied sweetly as she tried to get back into the role of casserole Carol.

"Oh, okay," Lisa nodded. "We'll come back a little later than."

She turned to go but Carol stopped her, "Can I ask why you want to see him?" She tried her best not to sound defensive about their intentions, but her words came out much more curt than she wanted them to.

Lisa looked at Tobin again, who put a hand on her shoulder. Carol could tell how much they loved each other and the way Lisa looked to him for support was something she never had when she was married to Ed. But it reminded her of someone else. It reminded her of Daryl. "Well, Tobin and I were talking this morning… We've known Sam for a long time. We were here from the start, with… Jessie," her voice cracked and Carol knew she was grieving. "Pete... Ronnie…" Carol watched the woman take a breath, clearly trying not to cry. "Now that his parents are gone we thought maybe… well maybe we could adopt him. Raise him. Ya know, give him a family."

Carol felt like she'd been hit over the head with a blunt object. For a moment she couldn't focus and her ears started to ring. They wanted to take Sam. They wanted to look after Sam. They'd known Sam for a long time. They wanted to give him… a family.

"We really appreciate you taking care of him last night. I can't even imagine what…" a tear rolled down her cheek. "I can't imagine what he's going through."

No you can't, Carol wanted to scream. You can't understand any of this because all you've known is this sheltered life. You've been hidden away behind these walls since everything started. You know nothing of what it's like out there. You know nothing of tragedy and pain and loss. You know nothing. Nothing. She screamed it all in her head. She screamed it as loud as she could - in her head. But her face betrayed nothing. Carol had gotten so good at hiding her emotions from others, they would have no idea what was really going on in her mind. "He's devastated," she finally said, allowing her eyes to show appropriate, but true sadness.

"Thank you, again," Lisa said, reaching out and clasping her hand in a grateful gesture. "We'll come back in a little while." She turned and headed down the steps, but Tobin lingered.

He gave her a look that Carol couldn't quite place. She sensed it was a warning of some sort, but until he spoke she didn't understand. "Saw you last night. Don't think you'll be needing any gun training from me." With that he turned and walked away.

Carol sighed and went back inside. She hadn't even had time to think about the fact that her cover was likely blown. The sweet lady that bakes casseroles for the elderly and fumbles around with a rifle was no more.

"Who was that?" a groggy voice said from behind her.

Carol shut the door and turned to see Daryl standing there, hair still hanging in his eyes. "It was Tobin and his wife."

Daryl scowled. "What did they want?"

"Sam," she said, catching his eye and holding his gaze. .

"Sam? What… does that mean?" Daryl said slowly.

"They want to take him Daryl," she replied gently. Carol wasn't sure how he was going to take the news.

"Oh," was all he said at first, as if the words hadn't actually sunk in. "Wait, they want to take him for good?" Carol nodded. "But… we were gonna keep him," Daryl got out. He always looked like a little kid when he was emotional about something.

"We were," Carol agreed. "But they've known him a lot longer than we have. And… they're… married…" she added, as if it was an important detail. Maybe it was an important detail to some. Perhaps it was even important for Sam. It could be confusing for him if her and Daryl were to become his guardians when they weren't even a couple. Carol was confident they would have made it work. But perhaps this was the out she'd been looking for. She wouldn't have to get attached to another child now. She ignored the aching in her heart at the thought of Sam walking out the door with Tobin and Lisa. It was best for him and that's all that mattered.

"Oh, right," Daryl nodded. He looked very uncertain about the whole situation and Carol could tell he was following her lead. "Is this what you want?" he asked.

Before she could answer they heard footsteps on the stairs and Sam appeared, eyes red and puffy. He looked terrible, but it was certainly expected. "I'm hungry," he announced.

"You wanna help me cook breakfast?" Carol asked, hoping the distraction would be helpful for him. Sam nodded and she led him towards the kitchen. She turned back to look at Daryl, "Staying?" He nodded.

"Just gonna clean up," he replied.

Sam helped her make a big batch of pancakes. It was the strangest thing, being in a kitchen, cooking with a child… Carol had to fight with the memories of roasting pecans with Mika and Lizzie and even farther back, before it all started, baking cupcakes with Sophia. It was even more odd when Daryl returned and the three of them were sitting at the table eating delicious pancakes - like a family.

This is how it could be, Carol thought. Would this really be so bad? She looked at Daryl, sitting where Ed would have sat so long ago. It was a vast improvement. Then she looked at Sam and instantly his face morphed to Sophia and Carol squeezed her eyes shut. No, it was definitely the right decision to let Tobin and Lisa take the boy. This was just too hard.

"These are good," Sam mumbled, with his mouth full of food. "They're way better than the ones my mo…Oh…" he stopped mid sentence and looked up, his eyes filling with tears. He brushed them away as if he was annoyed with himself for missing her or perhaps angry with her for leaving him. "They're really good," he grumbled, stuffing another bite in his mouth.

Carol gave Daryl a look, but neither of them spoke. They were all just finishing up when the doorbell rang. Carol felt her heart sink in her chest and she knew by the look on his face Daryl was right there with her. "Who's here?" Sam asked.

"Come," Carol said, waving for him to follow. "I think it's Tobin and Lisa." Sam stuffed the last bite of pancake in his mouth and followed her to the door, with Daryl trailing behind.

"Hi Sam," Lisa said with a little smile. She gave him a hug and Sam hugged her back. It gave Carol some comfort to see that. But that comfort was sliced by a deep stab of jealousy, that was shocking in its intensity. Lisa drew back and bent down to Sam's level to talk to him. "I know you're sad right now and that's okay. Tobin and I want to help… how would you like to come live with us? I know we'll never replace your parents, but we love you and we would be so honored to have you become a part of our family."

"Oh, no thank you," Sam replied politely. "I'm gonna live here with Carol and Daryl." Carol saw Daryl grin out of the corner of her eye and had to bite the inside of her lip and look away to avoid smiling herself.

"Sam," Tobin spoke gently. "We already have a room all ready for you. Come, let's go take a look."

Sam shook his head and looked at Carol and then back at Tobin. "No," he said stubbornly. "Tell him. Tell him I'm staying here," he pleaded, looking at her again and then turning his attention to Daryl.

Carol took a deep breath. "Sam, sweetie… this is what's best for you…" His tears started and she could feel a dull ache begin in her heart.

"It's not… I don't want to go with them. I want to stay with you. Why don't you want me?" he screamed. The poor child had been through so much and they were only adding to his pain. But at the same time she just couldn't… it was just too much… With wild eyes Sam turned and bolted.

"Sam," Carol called out, fighting the tears so hard and getting really close to failing.

"I'll go," Daryl said, starting after him.

"No," Tobin said, grabbing his arm. Daryl angrily shook him off. "We should go after him," he said calmly. "He's our responsibility."

Carol reached for Daryl's arm and lay a hand on him lightly. He was angry and his anger left him unpredictable. But she knew she was quite possibly the only person who could calm him. "Let them go," she whispered. She could see his chest heaving up and down and she could feel the tension in his body, but he stayed and they watched Lisa and Tobin take off in the direction Sam had headed, though he'd got quite the head start.

Once they were out of sight Carol turned and strode angrily into the house. Daryl followed and she heard the door slam. "What the fuck?" he yelled. "How can we do this to him?"

Carol was a mess of emotions. She was so confused. She didn't want a child. She couldn't do it again. But she wanted Sam. She wanted him so badly. But he was better off with Lisa and Tobin and she should want what's best for him. "It's better this way," she whispered, barely able to get the words out.

"Why?" Daryl hissed. "Why are they better than us?" Carol froze and looked at him. Daryl took a deep breath and spoke 4 words that changed everything, "We understand his pain." That statement hit her like a bullet. "How can they be better when we understand him? They don't know loss. They don't know abuse. They ain't gonna get him through this like we can."

He was right. Sam needed them. And maybe… just maybe… they needed him just as much. "So what do we do?" Carol replied, giving him a smile.

Daryl looked so relieved and it mirrored her feelings exactly. He returned the smile. "We go find him. And bring him home."


	7. Chapter 7

When they left the house Carol was struck again by that overwhelming feeling of sadness and loss hanging in the air. Tobin and Lisa seemed a little better off than some of the people she saw on their way to find Sam. But perhaps their decision to adopt Sam had given them an immediate sense of purpose that provided a distraction from all the heartache, terror and loss.

Carol couldn't help but feel bad that she was about to rip away that sense of purpose from them. She was a compassionate person and she knew it wasn't going to be easy for any of them. But Sam was the one that mattered and she was now fully convinced that being with her and Daryl was what was best for him.

They assumed that Sam would have been located at that point so they headed straight to Tobin's house. But after ringing the doorbell and knocking, it was clear that no one was home. "What now?" Carol asked.

Daryl took a seat on the porch swing. "We wait." Carol sat beside him. "They'll come back eventually." After sitting for a few minutes facing the town, Carol switched spots and sat facing Daryl instead. There were too many sad faces walking by. Too many tears. Too much fear. "You okay?" he asked, clearly noticing how things were affecting her.

"Not really," she admitted. It felt good to have at least one person in the world she could actually be honest with. "You?"

Daryl shook his head. "This is new to them. This was us… back at the quarry… that first attack…" He looked up at her, realizing that maybe he was bringing up stuff he shouldn't. Daryl was always cautious bringing up memories of Ed, though she wasn't sure if it was because he thought maybe Carol missed him, or because he worried it would bring up bad memories.

"Ed is the furthest thing from my mind," Carol said softly. "I don't miss him. I miss Amy though. And Andrea… Dale…" Her voice trailed off. They all knew every name of every family member that had been lost along their journey, she didn't need to list them all for Daryl.

"Me too," Daryl replied. "Didn't even know some of them all that well, but they still felt like family."

"You think that will happen here?" Carol asked. "You think one day we'll all… fit in… and the whole town will feel like our family? Or will be always be the outsiders. The ones who are different. The ones who came late to the party?"

"It'll happen. They had their first taste of loss and terror. It'll change a lot of em," he nodded, sounding confident. "Lisa," he said, gesturing behind her with his eyes.

Carol stood and turned, watching as Lisa walked towards her house, looking curiously at them. "Where's Sam?" Carol asked immediately when Lisa got close enough.

"Tobin's still looking. He's a damn good hider," Lisa replied, with a little smile. "Can I help you with something?" she added, obviously wondering why they were on her porch.

"Maybe we should go inside," Carol said gently.

"Um, okay…." Lisa said, leading them into the house. "What's going on?" She looked nervous, particularly without Tobin there. "Maybe we should wait for my husband."

Daryl shook his head, "Won't take long. And I can go find Sam."

He and Carol shared a look and she started to talk. "We changed our mind. About Sam. We're gonna keep him." She thought direct and to the point would be best.

Lisa's reaction surprised them both. She started to laugh. "You're joking, right?"

Carol glanced at Daryl again and realized it was probably best if she did the talking. "No, we're serious. Daryl and I would like to keep Sam."

"Really?" she scoffed. "Well it's not happening. He's staying with us."

"With all due respect, I think Sam should have a say in the decision. He want's to be with us and Daryl and I are better prepared to deal with what he's going through," Carol spoke calmly, but made sure her tone was sharp.

"Better prepared? You? The two of you aren't even married. You're not even a couple are you? At least that's what I've heard. Maybe that's changed," Lisa spat angrily.

Carol could see Daryl was about to burst and she jumped in quickly to reply. "Our relationship is none of your business and none of your concern. And whether we are married or not will have no bearing whatsoever on our ability to raise Sam."

"I disagree," Lisa replied, crossing her arms stubbornly. "Sam is used to having a mother and a father. A true family. Tobin and I can give him that."

Carol was about done with this pretentious bitch. "Sam is used to hiding in a goddamn closet while his dad beats the shit out of his mom," she hissed. "That's what he's used to. That's what he's grown up with. Is that what you want to give him? You want to give him what he's used to?" She took a threatening step towards Lisa and the woman stepped back. She was clearly shaken by Carol's outburst, but Carol had to give her credit, she still wasn't backing down.

"Don't be ridiculous. We would give him a loving home with two parents who care about him," Lisa shot back.

"We can give him the same thing," Carol yelled back. "We don't have to be married for us both to love him."

"It's not just that," Lisa shook her head. "Daryl goes out for days at a time. It's dangerous out there. He might not come back… and then what?"

"I know what the fuck I'm doing out there," Daryl growled. "And in case last night wasn't enough of a reminder… it's dangerous in here too."

Carol nodded. "And Sam should be with people who can protect him."

"Yeah, you wanna talk about that?" a voice said from the doorway. "You wanna talk about how the sweet woman who bakes cookies and makes casseroles is so good with a gun?" Carol turned and saw Tobin. "You're a liar."

Carol sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I lied. I had my reasons." She took a deep breath. "What matters right now is my point from earlier… Sam should be with people who can protect him… and people who understand him."

"And that's us," Daryl finished.

"We're not discussing this," Tobin replied, moving closer to his wife. "When we find him, Sam will live here."

"Wait, what?" Carol felt her chest tighten with fear. "You still haven't found him?"

"We can figure this shit out later," Daryl muttered. "We gotta find the kid fi…" His words were interrupted by a loud banging at the door and all of a sudden Glenn burst into the room breathless.

"Walkers…" he gasped. "Herd. It's huge. Don't know if the walls will hold much longer…"

Carol felt the panic rising. This town was not prepared for a walker attack. These people were not fighters. How were they going to deal with a herd? She only allowed herself that one brief moment of panic before her survival instincts took over. "Tobin, get a gun and knife and go with Glenn. Daryl… you gotta find Sam," she said, giving him a look. He nodded. "When you do, bring him back here. Go," she yelled and the two men took off.

"You're gonna stay here," she said to Lisa. "I'm gonna start bringing all the kids and elderly to you. We can protect them better if they're all in one spot. Once they're all here you're gonna shut all doors and cover the windows. Lock yourselves in and don't even think about peeking outside." Carol could see that Lisa was freaking out and she grabbed her shoulders. "I need you to be strong. The children need you. Tell me you can do this?"

"I can do this," Lisa whispered. "I can. Go start bringing them and I'll find stuff to cover the windows."

What a strange turn of events Carol thought as she took off out the door. Less than a minute ago they were screaming at each other, and now they were working together - like family. Carol knew where all the elderly lived because she'd been helping to take care of them with meals since she arrived. One by one she went to the houses and quickly explained what was happening. Those who were able she asked to take food and supplies in case they were stuck in the house for a while.

One the way back with an older man who needed help to walk Carol spotted Carl. "Hey," she called out. He ran over. "Round up your friends and their siblings, get them all to Tobin and Lisa's house. We're putting all the kids and elderly there until we clear the herd."

"I'm not…" Carl started.

"I know," Carol replied. "But make sure your friends and your sister are safe inside. We're gonna need your help," she said with a smile. It was true. She could hear the snarling of the walkers on the other side of the fence and she could see a group trying to reinforce a couple panels of wall where the herd was pushing. It was bad. If the wall came down… it was going to be utter chaos.

Carol was on her fourth trip when she met Daryl returning to the house with Sam in tow. When the boy saw her he ran and threw his arms around her. "Go help, I'll be there as soon as I can," she called to Daryl. She watched him unsheath his knife and take off.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay," she whispered to Sam, hugging him back. "You're gonna stay at Lisa's until the walkers are gone. But as soon as it's over you're coming home with us, I promise."

He looked up at her with tears in his eyes. "Carol… don't die okay? Please don't die. Daryl too. Don't let him die."

Carol looked into his eyes and made a promise she hoped to hell she could keep. "We won't die. I promise." She hugged him again. "Come on, let's get you inside with the others." Her heart ached leaving him, but it felt good to know he would be safe. She had two more houses to go to and then she was free to head to the wall and help the others.

"I'm pretty sure that's everyone," she said quickly to Lisa after getting the last elderly couple inside. "When I go out lock the door, block it with something and make sure you get the rest of the windows covered." Lisa nodded. "When it's all clear I'll be back." I hope, she added in her mind.

Carol started towards the worst spot. She could see Daryl and Glenn perched on top of one of the panels. Daryl was shooting bolts and Glenn was firing off a handgun with a silencer so as not to draw any more of the herd to that spot. They obviously needed to get some of the herd cleared or the wall was coming down.

She was almost there when she froze in fear and watched the terror unfold in front of her. The wall started to tip. She could see Rick, Abe, Aaron, Michonne and several others pushing on it with all their might. But it was no use… it was gonna fall. It was the same panel with Glenn and Daryl perched on top.

It was all happening in slow motion. Glenn scrambled and somehow jumped as the wall started to fall. He landed with a thud, but he was on the inside. Daryl wasn't so lucky. As the wall started to come down he started to slip…down the other side… getting closer and closer to a huge herd of snarling walkers.

"I won't let him die, I promise," Carol whispered. She took off running, gun in one hand, knife in the other. "I promise Sam," she said out loud. "I promise."


	8. Chapter 8

"Carol, no," she heard someone yell. She had no idea who said it, nor did she care, because she didn't plan on listening. Daryl was kicking and scrambling, trying to put some distance between him and the snarling, rotted, monsters that were reaching and chomping at him. Carol stopped and aimed her gun, dropping the one that had a hold of his ankle so Daryl could at least get to his feet. She leapt up onto the tipped panel and started stabbing as fast as she could. Daryl was doing the same.

In a matter of seconds they had several bodies at their feet and it was slowing the progress of the others as they tripped and stumbled over them. In that same matter of seconds others were quickly joining them. She had Daryl on one side and Abraham on the other, swinging an axe. Guns might come in handy to instantly save someone from a distance like she had done with Daryl, but there was no way they had enough ammo to clear the herd, even if every single shot hit where it was supposed to. Knives, swords, machetes, crowbars… all the things they used to use at the fence back at the prison… were the best weapons in this situation.

It meant they had to fight walkers in close proximity, but the only way they were going to survive was to use the most efficient means of eliminating the threat. The herd was huge though and it was pushing in on them, fast and hard. The front line, which also included Rick, Rosita, Spencer and Maggie by that point, were forced to back off. They scrambled, gave the walkers space and started right back into picking them off.

Carol didn't have time to look around and see what was going on. But from the screaming and sobbing, wailing and yelling, she knew it couldn't be good. People were getting bit. People were dying. The practical side of her could only hope their loved ones knew enough to destroy the brain.

The only comfort she had in the moment was that Daryl was safe, for the time being, and the kids and elderly were all together, barricaded in a house where they would also be safe. She had no idea who had been bit. Her arms were aching as she continued to stab over and over. One poorly timed moment of rest and she had 3 walkers on her. "Daryl," she yelled, knowing he was closest. It was no use, he had 4 walkers coming at him. Carol kicked the closest and slashed at another. God, she was so tired. I can't die, I promised Sam, she thought. With a burst of energy and help from Eugene of all people, all three walkers were on the ground. "Thanks," she muttered quickly. "Come." She led him towards Daryl and they helped him clear the group that had surrounded him.

Carol took a quick look around. The place was absolute chaos. There were people surrounded by walkers in every direction and she had no idea who to help first. Something caught her eye and Carol drew her gun and took a shot, then watched as the dead walker slumped on top of Tobin. He pushed the body off and got right back to his feet, ready to fight some more. He may or may not of known who helped him, but at that point it didn't matter. They were all in it together and they needed people alive to fight.

The gunshot drew more walkers in her direction so her, Daryl and Eugene stood back to back and kept fighting. And fighting. And fighting. Carol shut out the crying and screaming as best she could. It was too distracting and too disheartening. Just keep fighting. Just keep fighting. When the group was cleared it was time for the three of them to separate and go help others. Eugene took off towards Tara and Glenn and Carol took a brief second to admire how far he'd come. "Some are getting close to the house," Daryl said, directing her attention to several stray walkers heading to where Sam and the others were.

"I'll go," Carol said quickly.

"I'm gonna help Rick and 'chonne but I'll come as soon as I can," he replied. "Careful," Daryl added touching her arm tenderly.

She looked down at his fingers on her wrist and then up to his eyes, filled with concern and nodded. "I'll be fine, go."

Daryl took off in one direction and she headed in the other. There was a woman bent over a body sobbing and Carol stopped. She didn't have time to console her, but she had a second to save her life. "Look away," she ordered. The woman met her with tear filled eyes. "I'll do it for you, but you wait much longer he's gonna turn." Carol lifted her knife and the woman sobbed, but looked away. People knew what had to happen. But knowing and doing it were two different things. Carol brought the knife down into the man's head and pulled it out. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. It was the best she could muster and all she had time for.

Carol found Sasha near the house attempting to clear the area. People knew the house was filled with kids and the elderly and Carol appreciated that Sasha had been proactive before too many walkers surrounded the house. With a nod she joined her and they quickly took care of the majority of the walkers, but there were still more coming. It seemed endless. Even after all the killing she'd done Carol still could not see an end in sight.

She dug deep, focussed and just kept fighting. The numbers were getting overwhelming for the two of them, but thankfully she saw Daryl with Abe and Tobin hot on his heels coming to help. How long has this been going on? Carol wondered. She had lost all sense of time. She felt like a machine, stab, stab, stab, stab… She was covered in blood. The smell was overwhelming. Her body hurt so much. But she pushed on.

It felt good to have Daryl close again. It was comforting just to know he was there and he was near. A while later… was it minutes? Hours? She really didn't know. Carol started to notice things thinning out. There were walker bodies everywhere. The sobbing was still surrounding her. But there was something new… the smell of victory. The numbers that were left were manageable. They had done it… somehow they had survived.

They all continued until the last snarling beast was lying on the ground. It was followed by a silence. They were all frozen in place, looking around. The feeling was bittersweet for sure. Carol caught Daryl's eye and something happened… he smiled. And she found herself returning the smile. The next thing she knew the place went crazy with cries of victory, hugging, tears of joy. It was an amazing moment.

It unfortunately didn't last long as the realization and curiosity of what and who they had lost started to creep in. There would be so much work to do. And so much more grieving. Instead of looking at the faces of the people who were standing Carol looked down at the men and women dropped to their knees, crying over loved ones lost. She knew the feeling. It was still there. It was always there. Sophia… Lizzie… Mika… So many others, but none hurt as bad as the first - her baby.

Carol felt something and touched her cheek. He hand came back wet. Tears mixed with dirt and walker blood. She was crying. And she was tired. So tired. Her body was spent, physically and emotionally exhausted. Daryl was moving towards her. He looked… concerned. His face blurred and refocussed as she shook her head. His form went hazy and Carol heard him speak. "Hey… you okay?" She shook her head again and could see him. Almost there. Almost beside her. "Carol?" That was it. That was the last thing she heard.

She woke, disoriented, sitting bolt upright. Where am I? Carol wondered. It was dark. It was nighttime. How long had she slept? As her eyes adjusted she realized she was in bed - in Daryl's room. What the hell… How did I get here? She wracked her brain but couldn't remember a thing. The last thing she could recall was feeling woozy, hearing Daryl call her name and… that was it.

But she was in bed. And… Carol lifted the covers… she was wearing one of Daryl's shirts… underwear… and that was it. Even worse (better?) she was clean. Jesus, what was going on? How could she not remember showering? Changing her clothes? Getting into bed? She flopped back on the pillow to think harder, but nothing was coming. Her eyes were sore and her body felt like she'd been beaten. Carol knew what it felt like to be beaten.

The door open and a figure appeared. "Oh you're awake," he said moving closer.

The most important question came out first. "Where's Sam?"

"He's okay," Daryl replied quickly, as he sat on the edge of the bed. "He's sleeping in your room. We just left here not that long ago. Kid wouldn't leave your side. He wanted to stay until you woke up but it was almost 1am so I took him to bed and promised I would come get him if you woke up during the night."

"Not yet," Carol replied, reaching out to stop him from getting up. "Tell me what happened first. How I got here… like this…"

"You don't… remember… anything?" Daryl looked rather confused. "I mean, you were kinda in and out… but…"

"Last thing I remember is you saying my name and blacking out," Carol sighed. "Then I woke up here. Clean. Changed. Wearing different clothes…" she gave him a look. This recent trend of passing out was getting quite annoying.

"Oh God.. no," Daryl shook his head. "I didn't…I mean I carried you here… helped you to the bathroom… but you did stuff yourself…" His face was beat red. "You didn't think I…"

Carol found it in her to smile. "It's okay. I'm not upset… Wouldn't be upset… even if you did…" Her words hung in the air. They just came out. She hadn't planned them. But that was often when one was the most honest. Daryl looked shocked. Her body was still aching, but it was quickly being replaced by a different kind of ache. She inched closer to him. When Daryl didn't move she pressed her lips to his.

It started slow and tender, but it was clear Daryl wanted it just as much as she did, when he wrapped an arm around her body and pulled her closer. Carol shifted and tucked a bare leg up underneath herself, raising up to her knees and allowing him to pull her even tighter against him. God, his kiss was so passionate. It didn't matter that they were out of practice like she thought it might, because the passion and desire took over. She never felt that with Ed. Not even at the start when she thought she was in love.

She dipped her tongue into his mouth and Daryl groaned. His hand was lightly rubbing her back, but the pressure increased as the kiss became more intense. Carol didn't even realize she wasn't wearing a bra until she felt Daryl work his hand up under her shirt and gently grab a breast. He fondled her lightly, twisting and rubbing her nipple until it was puckered and hard between his fingers. She sighed. It had been so long since she'd felt that intense ache between her legs. It had been so long since she'd wanted a man so badly. It had been so long since…

"Carol, you're awake," a voice cried out. So long since she'd been interrupted by a child. Daryl's hand whipped out from under her shirt and he pulled away with a horrified look. Carol smiled reassuringly. Daryl was panicking but he didn't realize how little kids really pick up on at Sam's age. He wouldn't have seen much more than a kiss, if he even took note of that in his excitement that she was awake.

"What are you doing up?" Daryl grumbled. He slipped out of bed and Carol noticed he quickly adjusted himself. She also noticed it didn't do much to hide the bulge in his pants. He backed away awkwardly.

"You said you'd come get me when she woke up," Sam grumbled back in the same annoyed tone. Carol's smile got bigger. Her boys were more alike than they knew. Her boys… the sentiment had just popped into her head, exactly like that, and it felt right. Carol turned and slipped under the covers to hide her bare legs, just as Sam leapt into bed with her. "I waited for a long time and Daryl made me go to bed. But I couldn't sleep. I had to be here when you woke up. And he made me leave and I wasn't here," Sam finished with a pout.

Carol hugged him to her side. "It's okay. I'm fine. I was just really tired." She studied his face for a moment. "How are you?" she whispered, stroking his little cheek. There were tear stains there, she could see them. She had a feeling Sam was trying to make it seem like he was doing far better than he was. "You be honest with me and I'll always be honest with you," Carol said gently. "That's how it's gonna work in this family," she looked at Daryl and he moved closer, nodding. "We are always honest with each other… whether good or bad."

A tear trickled down his cheek. "I miss my family," he sniffed. "I don't want you to think I'm not happy here with you," he added, barely a whisper. "If I cry too much you might not want me anymore."

She met Daryl's eyes for a moment. "Sweetie, it's barely been a day since you lost your mom and brother. I would be worried if you weren't crying. And we'll always want you, I promise."

"I still miss him too," Sam said. "I hate him. I hated him. But I still miss him. I don't want to miss him."

"Shhh, it's okay, let it out," Carol said, pulling him against her chest. Daryl sat on the edge of the bed and awkwardly joined the hug. It was odd and he looked uncomfortable, but Carol appreciated the sentiment. Daryl was making an attempt at being a father figure - offering comfort to a child, his child.

She let Sam cry it out until he was sniffling and yawning at the same time. "I think it's time for bed now, hmm?" she suggested.

"Okay," he replied easily, clearly exhausted. "Can we have pancakes for breakfast?" he added with a yawn. Always thinking about food that kid.

"Of course," she replied, ruffling his hair.

"Let's go, I'll tuck you in… again," Daryl teased. As he led Sam out he turned and gave her a look. Carol knew exactly what the look meant and it made her heart beat faster and her cheeks flush. When Daryl returned they would pick up where they'd been interrupted. She took a deep breath, allowed herself a giddy smile biting her lip to keep from making a girly noise, and leaned back on her pillow to wait.


	9. Chapter 9

Thankfully the news that Carol was awake and spending a few minutes with her was enough to relax Sam so he could sleep. Daryl was pretty sure the kid was out before he even left the room. It was only 10 strides from Carol's room where he'd just left Sam, to his room where Carol was waiting. 10 steps. He'd counted them several times. It was part of his survival skills when out in the woods. He would find landmarks, count paces and easily find his way back later on.

This was one time he didn't need any help to find his way back. His dick was pretty much leading the way for him. Daryl was torn between the urge to run and the urge to stop and try to breathe. He was fucking nervous. This wasn't just some chick that didn't mean anything like most of the girls he'd been with before the turn. This was Carol - his best friend, the one he counted on, the only one who knew him and understood him completely. And on top of all that… she was damn sexy.

Does she think I'm attractive? Daryl wondered. Merle had always called him a pretty boy when they were younger. He teased him all the time about girls and being hot. But Daryl never saw himself that way. He never tried to dress a certain way or keep up his appearance. But something made him want to all of a sudden. He made a quick detour to the bathroom and quickly brushed his hair and looked at himself in the mirror. "Well that just looks stupid," he muttered, messing his hair up a bit again. He brushed his teeth, wiped off his face and took a deep breath.

She was waiting and he was ready… well, as ready as he could be. When Daryl entered the room it seemed extra dark after his eyes had adjusted to the light in the bathroom. "You better be locking that door," Carol teased from the bed.

Shit, the door, of course. "Yep, got it," he replied, turning back and clicking the lock. At least if Sam returned they would have warning this time.

"Good, now take your clothes off and join me," she added, flipping back the covers, as he turned, to reveal her gorgeous naked body. Even with his eyes still adjusting to the dark he knew she was nude and he knew she was beautiful.

Daryl's heart thudded in his chest as he stood frozen in place for a moment. The butterflies in his stomach intensified, but at the same time so did his erection. Jesus, how am I gonna survive this? he wondered as his dick twitched eagerly.

Carol sat up and smiled at him. "Come," she said, beckoning him. "You need help?" she joked. Daryl blushed and shook his head. Just do it, he told himself. He quickly stripped off his clothes, trying to ignore the fact she was watching. He didn't want to see any looks of disapproval or any sign she wasn't at all impressed by his body. The blush intensified when he was down to his underwear. Would she think he was pathetic for having a full blown hard on just seeing her naked? Daryl pushed the thoughts away and shoved down his boxers, then kicked them away. When he finally snuck a glance in her direction Carol was smiling at him. "Wow," she whispered, looking him up and down. Wait, wow was good right? he thought. "Daryl… I… uhh… I really, really want you," she said, sitting up all the way and reaching out to him. "I don't know what you were anticipating… but maybe we can save the foreplay for next time?" He nodded eagerly, knowing that any foreplay was only gonna make the actual act even shorter than it was already going to be.

Daryl walked over, took her hand and climbed into bed. He was expecting it to be extremely awkward but once he took her hand everything happened surprisingly naturally. Perhaps even more naturally than it ever had before, even when he was getting laid at fairly regular intervals. Of course there were awkward moments, uncomfortable pauses when neither one was really sure who was making the next move, but by the time he was inside her they got familiar with each other, very quickly.

Daryl was pretty sure he would never forget the feeling when he first entered her. The tingling ache at the tip of his cock was instantly quelled. It was like when you burn your hand and finally put it in some cold water. The relief was absolutely euphoric. Carol sighed and let her legs fall even further apart, relaxing and allowing him to push all the way inside. His body and mind were both screaming with joy. There were so many sensations going on his brain couldn't comprehend any of them at first. Daryl paused and took a deep breath to find some focus before he started to move.

After only a few strokes he stopped. It was either that or end game. Carol seemed to understand as she patiently stroked up and down the front of his thighs. He gave her an apologetic look and turned his attention to her cute little breasts, in hopes to make up for it a bit. Her boobs were small, but they suited her lean body and there was still plenty to hold in his hand while he sucked her nipples in turn. Carol gasped when he sucked a little too hard, but he saw a smile on her lips when he released her and realized she'd like it. He sucked hard on the other side and she moaned. He wasn't sure why, but it surprised him she enjoyed a little pain - it also turned him on, a lot - which reminded him of exactly where his dick was.

He trailed his fingers slowly down her midsection, stopping at her hips and grasping them. He took a moment to flick his thumbs over the bones sticking out and down into the creased of her legs, which made Carol squirm. Daryl started to move again, but slow. The speed wasn't going to make much difference to the duration at that point, but slow and steady was gonna take a little longer than if he just went crazy like he wanted to.

Daryl watched curiously as Carol licked her fingers and moved them to her clit. She slowly rubbed herself as he fucked her. He realized that she wanted to come too and she knew he wasn't gonna outlast her. Normally he would have been embarrassed and felt rather emasculated by her act, but in this case… it was just too fucking hot to feel anything but even more arousal.

She clearly knew what she was doing and it was so fascinating to watch he almost stopped to just enjoy the show… until she whispered, "faster."

She wanted him to speed up. "But… I'm too close…" he protested.

"It's okay," Carol replied with a lazy smile. "Me too."

Daryl did exactly as instructed and continued to watch as she rubbed herself faster to match his strokes. Carol bit down on her lip and he felt her grip his legs, digging in her nails. It hurt, but it felt good at the same time. Daryl watched her face as she came and he felt his balls tighten - he was almost ready to join her. Suddenly he was there and he lost all focus on everything but how good it felt to release his load inside her. It had been so long since he'd came without masturbating and it felt incredible, but knowing it was Carol he was with made it a million times better because she was so special to him.

Neither spoke for a long time afterwards. Daryl held her in his arms and caressed her lightly, unsure of what to say. A good 15 minutes passed and he felt her hand move down his belly… lower and lower… "Fuck," Daryl hissed when her hand touched his dick and slipped around to cup his balls.

"Again?" Carol said softly.

"Uh huh," Daryl replied with a moan as she started to play with him. 15 fucking minutes and he wanted her again already and all it took was her touch.

"I'm gonna make love to you this time," she whispered seductively in his ear.

"Okay," he sighed, unable to find anything else to say with her stroking his dick. He knew he sounded like an idiot, but it couldn't be helped. Carol had him mesmerized - completely.

Once she had him hard she climbed on top, took him inside her and did exactly what she said she was going to do. It was so different from the first time, so much more emotional. Not that the physical excitement was any less but it was perhaps a little less desperate, a little less urgent, which allowed them more time to explore each other with looks, kisses and touches.

Afterwards Carol cuddled against him and they pulled the blanket over them. Daryl honestly never imagined he would by lying naked in a bed with Carol snuggled up next to him. There may have been a time or two he'd jerked off and thought about being with her, but by that point he always pictured something quick in the woods or back at the prison in a cell. It was never in a house, in a bed - so normal.

"Sleep if you want," Daryl whispered, stroking her arm.

Carol yawned. "I'm not tired."

"Yeah, okay," he chuckled.

"Seriously, I've been sleeping forever," she said, yawning again. "Dammit," she grumbled.

"It's okay, I'm tired too," Daryl replied. She needed more rest after everything she'd been through and if him sleeping too would help - he would gladly do it.

But Carol was stubborn. "You think he's gonna be okay?" she asked, touching his chest with the tip of her finger and drawing circles. Her light touch raised goosebumps all over him.

"In time," Daryl said, knowing she was referring to Sam.

"You think we can do this?" was her next question.

Daryl turned to look at her. "Why the doubt?"

She shrugged. "We can't seem to catch a break. It's one thing after another… It never stops."

"Hey, shhh," Daryl interrupted. "It will. Eventually, it will. And in the mean time… we just keep tryin'."

"Keep tryin'," she repeated, a little smile playing on her lips. It had become their phrase as they'd traded it back and forth several times. "You're gonna make a great Dad you know," she added.

Daryl snorted, "We'll see." He wasn't overly confident in his parenting skills, but he certainly did have a strong desire to try and to give Sam a family again. Especially since Daryl had never had that himself.

"Why the doubt?" Carol threw his own words back at him.

Daryl chuckled. "You know," was all he said. And she did. She knew all his insecurities and his backstory that they stemmed from.

They were still looking at each other when Daryl heard the patter of footsteps in the hallway. "Again? Really?" he whispered to her.

"Welcome to Parenthood," she whispered back with a smile as the knock on the door came.

"I can't sleep," Sam called out with a sniffle. "Can I sleep with you?"

Daryl gave Carol a look and peeked under the blanket at their naked bodies. She giggled and gave him a nod, then slipped out of bed to get dressed.

Daryl sighed and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. "Yep, one sec," he called out to Sam. By the time Daryl was dressed and opening the door he was smiling. "Come on in kid," he said.

Not 10 minutes later Sam was snoring softly, lying in bed between them. Daryl ruffled his hair lightly, feeling a pang in his chest. The boy sleeping beside him wasn't biologically his, but Daryl already felt a connection stronger than he thought possible. Before lying his head down Daryl looked over at Carol, "Night." He had a nervous feeling in his tummy as he drifted off to sleep. It was all so normal. And Daryl was not used to normal.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: I want to apologize for completely abandoning my Caryl fics. I do plan on finishing most of them, starting with this one. But I have been focusing on McReedus fics for the most part. I'm writing them, but not publishing them. The only way to read them is through my private e-mail list. So if anyone is interested in reading my McReedus RPF please contact me at mcreedusfics at gmail . com (It won't allow me to type the email properly)  
**

**Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you're reading this after such a long break - I love you! **

**This one was essentially finished, ie the story I wanted to tell was told, but it just needed that last chapter to wrap it all up. It was important to me to finish this one before the show starts back. I hope you enjoy the conclusion. And again, thank you for your dedication. Lots of love! **

The best year of his life had flown by and Daryl felt very nostalgic all of a sudden. He honestly didn't think he would ever get used to the normalcy of being a family with Carol and Sam but it happened far quicker and easier than he ever expected.

It took a bit longer for Carol, but not much. As painful as it was for her to be constantly around a child, with the reminders of the three she'd lost, it was also good for her. Sam helped her heal in a way that no one else could. He didn't have to do anything special, he just needed to be there to love her and be that person that Carol took care of.

But Sam was special. He had been through so many horrors in his short life and in a ridiculously short amount of time. Yet he overcame all the bad with happiness, gratitude and a big smile for the world. He would always grieve his family but Daryl knew that Sam was grateful and felt blessed for his new family.

They were all blessed. And they were all tested - often. The family life was normal, yes, but the world they were living in was not. Sam had every right to be scared when Daryl left on a run. He had every right to want the people he cared about to stay behind the walls. But they knew even the sanctuary of the safe zone could be compromised, which was why Daryl didn't like leaving them there without him anymore than Carol and Sam liked him going. He knew Carol could take care of herself and would protect Sam at any cost, but it still left him with a knot in his stomach until he returned to them.

Eugene had fixed up a couple of Walkie talkies and Daryl and Aaron could contact Alexandria in the case of an emergency. They tried to use them only when necessary but Daryl would never forget the one night that Carol and Sam contacted him. Sam had been having a really rough day and Daryl being away only made it worse. It had come at a time he really needed it too and it was hard not to hope it might happen again sometime, even if Aaron had teased him and called him Pookie for weeks. But Carol wouldn't contact him unless absolutely necessary, he knew that. But 5 days into their trip it would have been a very welcome luxury just to hear her and Sam's voices.

The next morning he got his wish - sort of. The walkie talkie crackled and a voice spoke to him. But it wasn't Carol or Sam, it was Rick. "Daryl, Aaron. Come back… quick. We need you…"

"Rick? What the hell is going on?" Daryl asked, already starting to pack up, giving Aaron a light kick to wake him.

"Gotta…. come…ba…" the walkie talkie crackled.

"Rick? RICK," Daryl yelled. "We're on the way. What's going on?" There were a couple more crackles and then nothing. "Fuck, we gotta go. Something is wrong," Daryl hissed. Aaron was already on his feet helping to pack things up. Within 15 minutes they were on the way, flying back towards Alexandria.

Daryl was terrified that something had happened to Carol or Sam… or some of the others. He had a huge knot in his stomach that tightened the closer they got to the safe zone. It was the longest two hour drive of his life. The bike was running on fumes but he didn't want to stop and take the time to gas it up. Luckily he made it to the gate with only a few sputters. Carl and Michonne let them in. "Where's Carol, what's going on?" he asked jumping off the bike and scanning the area. "What the hell…" he muttered, taking in the scene before him.

Carol and Sam came running with a smile, followed by Rosita, Tara and Olivia. Before either Daryl or Aaron had fully clued into what was going on the three ladies were dragging Aaron away. Something about getting him ready. It was pretty clear though, as he took in the scene laid out before him, that there was a party about to happen. No, not a party… a wedding.

The knot in his stomach had eased significantly but it was slowly being replaced with anger. "Eric and Aaron are getting married," Michonne announced.

"I fucking figured that out," Daryl snapped, feeling immediately guilty for the language with Sam standing right there. "You couldn't have told me that before I left? I could have made sure Aaron was back whenever you needed him."

"You would have told him," Sam piped up. "You aren't good at keeping secrets." Daryl turned his eyes on the little man that he was so happy to see. He wanted to be angry, but unfortunately Sam was right.

"I can keep secrets," Daryl grunted.

Sam rolled his eyes. "You told Carol about the birthday gift I made her."

"She was asking too many questions," Daryl shot back. He knew everyone was smirking at him. "Okay, fine. I can't keep secrets. But still… We were terrified…" His voice cracked and it made for an awkward moment in front of Michonne and Carl. She grabbed Carl's shoulder and led him off to give them a moment alone.

Carol and Sam both walked over and hugged him. "I'm sorry," Carol whispered. "But we're fine."

"I'm glad you're back," Sam added, squeezing him tightly. Daryl never thought he would be standing out in the open allowing himself to be hugged, and hugging them back just as desperately.

"Come on," Carol said, pulling back. "The ceremony is in two hours. We need to get ready… and you definitely need a shower," she teased him.

Two hours later they were watching Aaron and Eric exchange their vows in the middle of the little town. Some were dressed up, others weren't. But it didn't matter - they were all there. Aaron and Eric were both in suits and looked deliriously happy. Daryl really hadn't been to many weddings but he was quite sure this would be the best one he ever attended.

He was right. The ceremony was beautiful and had even made him tear up, which he tried unsuccessfully to hide from Carol. The food was incredible and he was sure that Carol had likely made most of it which made it even better to him. When it got dark they lit candles all over the place and the dancing and fun started. There was alcohol, a lot of it. Clearly the stores of booze in Alexandria were vast. Daryl drank a bit of whiskey and Carol had a couple beers, but they left plenty for the others. Neither of them had any desire to get wasted.

Rick was a write off. Thankfully Michonne wasn't drinking at all so she would make sure he got home safely and likely take on the policing duties for the evening. Abe and Glenn seemed to be having some sort of drinking competition that clearly was not going to end well for Rhee. But the best part of it all… everyone was happy and it felt like real life. It felt normal.

"You look beautiful," Daryl whispered to Carol when they took a seat alone, off in the background of the festivities. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." When he first saw Carol in the yellow sundress he'd been too stunned to speak and the next thing he knew they were gathering up Sam and rushing off to the ceremony. She looked incredible. He'd never seen her in a dress before and everytime he looked at her he fought back the arousal that stirred inside him.

"Thank you," she replied, moving closer and slipping her hand into his. They silently watched the scene before them for a few minutes.

Finally Daryl spoke up. "So, uh, do you think you might like to do this someday?" Daryl asked softly. He had never imagined getting married even when the world was normal, but he didn't know Carol back then. If she wanted a wedding he wanted to give it to her.

"Is that your way of proposing?" She teased. Daryl knew she was joking but his cheeks still flushed. "Nah, I'm never getting married again... Um, I mean, unless it's something you want?" She changed her tune quickly, clearly worried she'd offended him.

Daryl shook his head. "It's not the getting married part... It's just..." He hesitated unsure of whether he wanted to admit something petty. "It's always bugged me that your last name is still Peletier." He blurted it out and blushed immediately. He knew it was stupid but it bothered him that Carol was his now and she still used Ed's name.

"Then Carol Dixon it is," she replied easily.

"What? Just like that?" Daryl eyed her, somewhat shocked.

"Look, I get it. Ed was an asshole. We don't need any reminder of him in our lives. But we don't have to get married to change my name. We're practically married anyway," she added with a smile, kissing him softly.

"Carol Dixon," he repeated after they parted. "Yeah?" He looked at her again for confirmation and she nodded. "I like it."

"Me too," she said with a beautiful smile. Daryl was about to kiss her again when someone jumped out from behind them.

"Sam Dixon," the voice said excitedly. "I want to change my last name too. I want to be a Dixon."

"Sam," Carol said in her best mom tone. "How long have you been there listening to us?"

"A while," he admitted with a grin and a shrug. "You taught me to never interrupt when others were talking."

Daryl gave her a half smile. "Kid has a point," he said.

Carol glared at them both, but couldn't hold back her own grin. "So you want to be a Dixon, huh?" She said to Sam.

"Yep, my dad was an asshole too. I don't need his name," Sam replied eagerly. Daryl was way too happy to warn Sam about his language. "So can I? Can we change my name? Please?" He pleaded.

Daryl looked at Carol and she gave a little nod. "Of course we can," Daryl replied, feeling that swelling of pride fill his chest like he often did when Sam was around.

Sam was beaming and talking very fast in his excitement. "So we're a real family now with the same name and everything. Does that mean I can finally call you mom and dad?"

Daryl was startled by the question and looked immediately to Carol to answer. If it were up to him Sam could have called them mom and dad months ago. "Well um... I guess this might be a good time to start," Carol got out, though she looked a bit teary eyed and Daryl wasn't quite sure what to make of the tears.

"Ok great," Sam beamed. Clearly he wasn't picking up on any of Carol's non verbal cues like Daryl was. "So mom," he looked at Carol. "And Dad..." Sam smiled at him. "A bunch of the older kids are going back to Carl's to play video games and they asked if I want to come. Can you believe it? They never ask me but tonight they did. I know it's late but can I go? For a little while? Please?" Somehow he managed to get all that out in a single breath.

Truth was, it was way past Sam's bedtime. And ordinarily they didn't budge much on that. But tonight was a special night for many reasons. Daryl didn't even look at Carol for confirmation. "You got an hour. See you at home," he said, watching Sam take off as if they might change their mind yelling "thank you" behind him.

It wasn't until Sam was gone that he risked a glance at Carol hoping she wasn't mad. She wasn't mad but she was crying. "Hey, you ok? Talk to me," Daryl said gently.

"Oh," Carol sighed, brushing away the tears and smiling. "It's just been a long time since I've been called mom other than a few slips. But this is the real thing. We're parents Daryl. We have a child. He's really ours."

"He's been ours since the second his ma died," Daryl said gently. It was the truth. Looking back they both knew it. Their little family had been destined to happen, even though it took far too much tragedy to get there.

Carol nodded silently and leaned against him. They watched the others dance for a bit and then headed home to take advantage of the alone time they'd been given with Sam off playing video games. They made love like they hadn't seen each other in months, rather than only a few days. It was passionate and even desperate at times, like they just couldn't get enough of each other. It was true for Daryl. He could never get enough of her - not for as long as they both breathed.

The next morning the three of them went to visit Deanna. There was a bound book in her office, a list that she kept of every member of the community. It had their full names and their date of birth. And for some, far too many, the date they died.

Coincidentally, Daryl and Carol's names had been the last two names at the bottom of a page, one right after another. With a smile Deanna added Sam in the little space at the bottom of the page so all three of them would be together. Then she crossed out Peletier and wrote Dixon above it.

She turned it towards them and the three of them looked at it. Daryl Dixon. Carol Dixon. Sam Dixon. One right after the other. It was perfect. "Thank you for your help ma'am," Sam piped up. "I think my mom is gonna bake you some cookies now, right?" He looked hopefully at Carol.

She cocked her head to the side. "Actually I was thinking of a tuna casserole."

"Oh gross," Sam commented. "Cookies are better. I think she'll like cookies, right Ma'am?"

"Get outta here goof," Daryl said, giving Sam a playful shove. They all knew that Sam just wanted to sample Deanna's batch of cookies. Daryl also knew that Carol would bake those cookies and a second batch for her boys. He was very much looking forward to that.

He looked at the page again and felt his chest inflate with pride. Daryl had never believed he would have a family, but he did and they were perfect. The story of us, Daryl thought. Us, he repeated in his mind. It wasn't just 'me' anymore. He would never be alone again. Us was forever - however long or short that may be…


End file.
